Nephritis, or kidney edema, can be caused by infections, toxins, or medical conditions like lupus and diabetes. Acute cases can be treated, but chronic nephritis can lead to kidney failure. Symptoms include blood in urine, swelling, weakness, and high blood pressure. Treatment options include antibiotics, medication, kidney transplant, or dialysis.
Kidney edema is called nephritis. Nephritis can be present in one or both kidneys and can have a variety of causes, including infections, exposure to chemicals or other toxins, or kidney disease. Some medical conditions, including lupus and diabetes, are also known to cause inflammation of the kidneys. Edema is another word for swelling.
Kidney edema may be acute or chronic. In acute cases, swelling is an isolated event and resolves after treatment. Chronic nephritis, on the other hand, is a recurring or constant condition. This is a serious medical problem and needs to be treated promptly in an effort to avoid complications, including kidney failure.
Acute nephritis is a common cause of sudden onset of inflammation. This condition is often caused by an adverse reaction to medications, although other causes, such as infection, are possible. Early diagnosis of this condition can prevent long-term damage to the kidney.
Chronic nephritis is a more serious medical condition. and the cause of this type of inflammation is often a corresponding medical condition. Sickle cell disease and high blood pressure are common contributing factors, as are kidney disease, particularly polycystic kidney disease. Toxic conditions such as heavy metal poisoning are also known to cause nephritis.
Common symptoms that indicate the possibility of kidney edema include blood in the urine or swelling of the extremities, including the face. Weakness and fatigue are also frequently reported symptoms. When kidney function begins to decline, high blood pressure often develops. It’s also possible for the brain to swell, causing headaches or visual disturbances. In severe cases, swelling of brain tissue can cause symptoms as severe as seizures or coma.
Treatments tend to focus on the contributing causes first, so antibiotics for an infection or medications aimed at lowering blood pressure are often the first course of action. In many cases, this type of treatment is sufficient. Unfortunately, if significant kidney damage has been sustained, treatment options are extremely limited.
The only treatments for kidney failure are a kidney transplant or dialysis. A transplant involves the transfer to the patient of a healthy kidney from a compatible living donor or, in a significant number of cases, from a cadaveric kidney obtained from an organ donor. Dialysis involves the patient being hooked up to a machine that removes blood from the body, cleans toxins from it, and then returns the blood to the body.
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